Right Information! Wrong Conclusion?

For decades I have been an advocate for natural health.  It’s my belief that “good health” is a natural and normal state for the human body, not illness and disease.  To achieve and maintain good health, one must stick to the basics, ie. Eat a healthy diet, exercise daily, attempt to reduce the stress in your life, receive adequate sleep, etc.  If you notice, I didn’t say anything about taking prescribed or over-the-counter medication for months, or in many cases years.  

Given the way medication is advertized in the media and prescribed by our doctors, one may think drugs are a prerequisite for good health.  It’s my belief if you’re taking a prescribed medication; it should be your doctor’s responsibility to find the root cause of your health issue and get you off the medication as soon as possible.  But we all know that we live in a world where our “healthcare system” actually implies, “illness care” and health has very little to do with the system. 

So you can understand how I enjoyed reading Dr Les Davidson’s blog post below, describing how a doctor in a recent news article could review the same research information and come to such a different conclusion, and recommendation for his patients (and readers).

Enjoy the Ride ….. Rob 

 

 

Right Information, Wrong Conclusion

The majority of my time as a chiropractor is spent treating mechanical issues like lower back and neck pain. Although my practice is not focused on the management of general health conditions, spines don’t come without a body.  Take Dave’s body for instance:

Dave has lived a life of adventure - skydiving with a few rough landings, riding his Harley with a few rough landings and ...well you get the picture. At 63, he is already a marvel of medical science having died once from cardiac arrest. They revived him, put in a couple of stents and he was back on his Harley in no time flat.

I have been providing chiropractic care to Dave for over 25 years. He says that if he knew he was going to live this long he would have taken better care of himself. He stops by the clinic regularly for an adjustment. The adjustments help him remain agile enough for his physically demanding job repairing heating and air conditioning systems, limber enough so he can play with his young grandson and active enough so he can look forward to his next adventure.

During one of his visits he mentioned a Maclean’s interview with oncologist Dr. Agus, author of, "The End of Illness."  http://www2.macleans.ca/2012/01/23/the-end-of-illness/

“Hey Doc. It says here that science can help inflammation so I can continue to work until I reach Freedom 85.”

Yes and No.

The right information!

Dr. Agus’ strategies for the end of illness can be condensed to two commandments:

1. Cut down on daily sources of life-threatening inflammation
2. Take an active part in your own health care

I concur completely!

I also agree with the following statements made by Dr. Agus:

The strategies employed by medicine in the fight against infectious disease are not effective with chronic illness

1. Systemic inflammation is a common factor in many chronic diseases
2. Each person's health needs are different and unique
3. Prolonged sitting is a significant health risk
4. Some vitamin therapies are contraindicated
5. The body is a system
6. Regular sleep is critical to good health
7. Health care is stuck in the diagnostic model - wait for symptoms to emerge and then treat a disease that is already in progress
8. Each person's health needs are different and unique

The wrong conclusion?

1. Everyone should consider the flu vaccine regardless of age or underlying health.
2. Everyone over the age of fifty should take one baby aspirin daily
3. Everyone over the age of fifty should be on statin drugs like Lipitor and Crestor

How can the same information result in such opposing conclusions? We filter information through different perspectives or lenses!

Dr. Agus subscribes to the importance of modifying lifestyle risk and yet maintains that the answer to good health is with more pharmacy. He focuses on the benefits and downplays the risks associated with Aspirin, Lipitor and Crestor. For more information on this topic, read Rob's post title: "Would you like Lipitor with your burger". 

My perspective is that the continuum of care that "integrative health" offers, empowers patients with knowledge so they can implement conservative care to support their body in optimizing function and then draw upon pharmacy and surgery as a last resort.

Dr. Agus is concerned with the money spent on vitamins which could be better spent on medications. Yet Americans already spend over $200 billion each year on prescription medications.

It is critical to become educated. For example in “The Great Cholesterol Con,” cardiologist, Malcolm Kendricks outlines the risks of statins and the shift to selling statins to treat inflammation.

Dave (my patient), like many of us as we get older, have issues with inflamation and pain. My concern is that Dave will look to Dr. Agus’ recommendations as cutting-edge solutions to his health issues. My question for Dave and for us all:

Do you think symptoms such as inflammation are an appropriate response of the body to certain health challenges, diet or lifestyle factors?

If yes, then why would we take medications that will suppress this appropriate and natural response? Wouldn’t it be better to focus on changing the factors that cause the inflammation?

Dave had already quit smoking. We encouraged him to eat  healthier and continue to be active. He left the clinic with Vitamin D and Fish Oil supplements to help his body shift from inflammation ‘naturally’.  Like I did for Dave, I perscribe the same for you, good health "naturally".

Adding Life to Your Years ..... Dr. Les

Comments

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This is my first time comment at your blog.Good recommended website

[Robert Armstrong]

Hi Carrie - thanks for your kind words of encouragement. Sometimes I wonder if all the research and writing is worth it and then I get a comment like yours. You are why I write this blog. Enjoy the Ride. Rob

[Carrie Dalmon]

I came lately to your website and have been reading along. I thought I would leave my initial comment. Keep writing, cause your posts are impressive! Doesn't it take up a lot of time to keep your blog so fascinating???